Trans star Harisu opens up about sexual harassment and outing threats in Korean entertainment

Harisu / Xportsnews

Harisu, South Korea’s first-generation entertainer who is a transgender woman, has revealed shocking experiences of sexual harassment during her early years in the entertainment industry.

Harisu appeared as a guest Wednesday on the YouTube web variety show “Pajamae Party,” produced by the channel Real_fin, where she spoke candidly about her life and struggles as the nation’s first officially recognized transgender celebrity.

Harisu recalled entering the entertainment industry in 1991 as a male-registered student, starting with minor supporting roles. “My legal status was still male at the time, and when signing contracts, I had to talk about my identity,” she said. “Because of that, I had to give up many opportunities, and some projects fell apart.”

Outing threats and inappropriate demands

Harisu revealed that she once received a movie offer with an exploitative plot. “The story was about a transgender person who gains power by sleeping with a man and sucking away his energy to transform into me,” she said. “I didn’t want to be consumed and discarded through that kind of role. But they threatened to out me as transgender if I refused. I never agreed to that, so I said I couldn’t do it.”

The experience left her questioning her career path. “I thought about quitting the entertainment industry many times,” Harisu said. However, she gained a fresh opportunity in 2001 after appearing in a cosmetics commercial. “Isn’t shooting a cosmetics ad every female celebrity’s dream?” she said.

Harisu / Captured from YouTube channel Real_fin

Yet, the harassment did not end even after she gained widespread recognition. “Back then, people would say, ‘Is it really true?’ and some even demanded sexual relations or asked me to undress to ‘confirm’ my gender,” she revealed. “I had to give up roles and turn down contracts because of that.”

Harisu also opened up about the prejudice she faced despite her popularity. “Even when people smiled kindly in front of me, they would talk differently behind my back,” she said. “I underwent gender reassignment surgery because I wanted to live as a woman, and I thought I had achieved everything by doing so. But that was just the starting point of my life. In society’s eyes, I was still just a transgender person.”

Debuting with her first studio album “Temptation” in 2001, Harisu rose to fame and later expanded into acting, appearing in films such as “Yellow Hair 2” and “Emergency Act 19.” She has also remained active on various entertainment programs and continues to share her thoughts openly through her personal YouTube channel, advocating for minority rights and visibility.

This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.